Many patients retain upper-limb motor impairment following stroke. Most conventional rehabilitation techniques are aimed to improve motor intentional movement by repeated exercises. These techniques require attentional load and are responsible for significant fatigue that probably represents a limiting factor. Alternatively, the automatic control of action is now well documented. A rehabilitation method based on this principle could allow recovery of more natural movements.

Fugl Meyer assessment (upper extremity) of motor recovery following stroke [ Time Frame: 2 weeks following the last day of the intervention (Day 26) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during this follow-up session (Day 26).

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Fugl Meyer assessment (upper extremity) of motor recovery following stroke [ Time Frame: immediately following the last day of the intervention (Day 12) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during each follow-up session

modified Ashworth scale [ Time Frame: immediately following the last day of the intervention (Day 12) and 2 weeks following the last day of the intervention (Day 26) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during each follow-up session.

Visual Analog Pain Scale [ Time Frame: immediately following the last day of the intervention (Day 12) and 2 weeks following the last day of the intervention (Day 26) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during each follow-up session.

Box and block test [ Time Frame: immediately following the last day of the intervention (Day 12) and 2 weeks following the last day of the intervention (Day 26) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during each follow-up session

Frenchey Arm Test [ Time Frame: immediately following the last day of the intervention (Day 12) and 2 weeks following the last day of the intervention (Day 26) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during each follow-up session.

Motor Activity Log (MAL [ Time Frame: immediately following the last day of the intervention (Day 12) and 2 weeks following the last day of the intervention (Day 26) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during each follow-up session.

Functional independence scale (MIF) [ Time Frame: immediately following the last day of the intervention (Day 12) and 2 weeks following the last day of the intervention (Day 26) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

we are looking for a change in scores between the baseline session score (Day 1), and those collected during each follow-up session

Subject will perform prehension exercises on an automated table. After the initiation of the arm movement, the target to be grasped is programmed to move in order to stimulate automatic motricity.

Sham Comparator: " CONTROL " Group

Other: motor training

Subject will perform prehension exercises on an automated table. After the initiation of the arm movement, the target to be grasped will remain static in order to involve intentional motricity.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 80 Years (Adult, Senior)

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

All subjects must be between the ages of 18-80 and must not be pregnant

Patients volunteer to participate in the study, with a written informed consent signed

Affiliation to a national health insurance program

Hemiplegia after stroke

Stroke onset >6 weeks and <4 years prior to study enrollment

Patients able to perform the exercises on the automated table

Exclusion Criteria:

Pregnancy

Excessive pain in any joint of the paretic extremity (VAS>5)

Coexistent major neurological or psychiatric disease as to decrease number of confounders

Subjects with global aphasia and deficits of comprehension

Any substantial decrease in alertness, language reception, or attention that might interfere with understanding instructions for motor testing

Contacts and Locations

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To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01565044